Sportscolumn - general

[Other Sports] It's a Boston Sports World, and Everyone Else is Just Paying Rent

By Ryan McGowan

Vin has been heckling me for the lack of quantity of my writing lately.

And by "lack of quantity," I mean I haven't posted a column since February 2007 when I wrote some diatribe about how NASCAR, and by extension the South in general, sucks.

Even though I've been a loyal and regular contributor to Poor Man's PTI, my absence from the printed word has been somewhat unexplained. So I think I owe it to the readers and especially to my colleagues Vin, Trevor, R.J., Billy, Kris, et al, to explain my writing void.

[NBA] When Shaq Attacks!

"Kobe, tell me how my a** tastes?" This is something you think you'd hear from a Boston fan during game 6 of the NBA Finals. Alas, it was our old, over-sized, over-hyped, under-skilled friend Shaquille O'Neal.

[Other Sports] Why We Watch Tennis

How many people can honestly say there isn't something about tennis that intrigues them? Whether it's the endless rallies or the power serving, tennis has a little bit of everything for everyone. The British Championship at Wimbledon has also proved that it provides the drama that every sports fan enjoys. With the big guns falling, this years Wimbledon has provided the sports world with one of the greatest opportunities in recent tennis history; a reason to watch.

[Site related] 1000 Golden Words about Sports you could have absolutely lived without and will not get back

A satirical look at the current goings on in Sports. As my first post to this site, I'm looking for feedback and I'm looking to establish myself a little bit on here. Comment please!

[Site related] July Writing Contest and New Featured Writer

Hey folks, please congratulate Diane Grassi on becoming our latest featured writer. Diane has been contributing to the site for a while now, won a couple of writing contests, and provides a much needed serious viewpoint on sports on this site. You can check out Diane's archive of stories here. Congrats Diane!

Second, I see a bunch of new writers on the site so it's time for another monthly writing contest. Every story submitted (except Journals) will be eligible for the Monthly Writing Contest. Every member can give each story up to 5 points. (You can find the voting console in the right column of the story page) The winner for the month is the article with the most points at the end of the Voting Period. That's it! And no waiting around for updates form me, you can find the current standings here.

Please read all the details and rules after the jump.)

[NFL] Why The NFL is the Most Popular Sport in America

Revenue sharing, salary caps and the vision of a few men many years ago has turned the NFL into the most popular sport in America.

[MLB] BASEBALL CAN'T AFFORD TO AVOID CHANGE ANY LONGER

Honestly, Major League Baseball is so stubborn when it comes to change, but that may be about to change.

A profession set so deep in its ways that a bitter woman is more prone to change her view of men. Yeah, it is that bad especially when we live in an age where technological advances have made life easier. Not just everyday living, but sports as well with the NFL, NBA and NHL, which have all implemented instant replay to get the call right.

[MLB] The Absolute Hard Evidence a Player Uses Steroids

By David J. Cohen

Since the steroid cloud has polluted athletics fans everywhere have debated whether certain players are steroid users. Did Barry Bonds improve ten hat sizes in four years or did he hit his head really really hard one day? Did Slamming Sammy get his power from giving grace to the lord or by slamming some needles into his body? Is Shawn Merriman now just lights out or is he still juiced up? With many players the glaring signs are there but there is no tangible proof. And unless a player couldn't cover up, wrote a book, or hired the worst lawyer in America it would always remain a debate. Until now.

[Other Sports] Everybody must get stoned....

I am equal parts fascinated and repulsed by human behavior. Looking back on it, this guy may have been better served pursuing a degree in psychology, as opposed to journalism.

There exists an intangible, and often irrational, tendril implanted in every single human decision, and my own thought processes are hardly excluded. All too often, our well-furbished facades and fortified insecurities are precisely what land us in intellectual quagmire, where rationality has long departed from the breakfast menu.

Buzz Bissinger, a superb writer by any measure, apparently stepped into a phone booth before appearing on an HBO Special examining American Journalism, transforming from Pulitzer Prize winner to indignant minister, preaching a fiery sermon denouncing blogs.

[Other Sports] Pre: His Revolution of Running

The sport of Running took a surge in the late 1960s, when a track legend was born. This legend was Steve Prefontaine; he went by `Pre.' Prefontaine's style of running brought crowds out the track because it was thrilling and riveting, it held them on the edges of there seats. The sport of track was increasing in popularity by the lap. Prefontaine changed the sport of running forever and his presence is felt in every runner's footsteps, even to this day.